A deep dive in Shopify's pricing structure: the cost of building a Shopify store
If you’ve read our earlier articles on Shopify’s pricing structure and Shopify Payments, you already know a lot about how Shopify plans work - but that's only part of the equation! Because of course, you'll also need an actual Shopify store. But how much budget should you allocate for that?
The answer to that goes far beyond choosing a theme and uploading products. A Shopify build can range from a small, focused investment to a fully custom digital storefront that fits perfectly into your tech stack.
What determines the cost? Long story short: how complex your business is, and what you expect your online store to do. Let's take a deeper look into that!
The real cost of building your store.
Your one-time build cost is the foundation of your entire Shopify investment, and it varies based on your requirements. A simple store with standard features will of course sit at the lower end of the spectrum, while a highly customized setup requires more time and expertise.
If you're looking for things like:
- A custom product configuratorAn advanced loyalty or referral program
- A custom checkout experience
- Deep integrations with ERP, WMS, CDP, or other systems
- Custom theme work or interactive UI components
…your implementation will require a larger budget because of the complexity involved.
For projects like these, working with an official Shopify Plus Partner (like dear digital) is often the smartest move. It ensures best-practice development, scalable architecture, and a setup that reduces your long-term Total Cost of Ownership rather than increasing it.
A solid implementation takes time. If you want to launch quickly, it's best to look into a simple V1 of your desired store.
The build cost is only the start
Once your store is live, recurring operational costs shape your long-term investment in Shopify. We see that many brands underestimate them early on.
Here are the major categories to plan for:
1. Platform fees
Your monthly Shopify subscription (Basic, Grow, Advanced, or Plus) is your baseline. It’s predictable, fixed, and tied to the plan that matches your business needs.
2. Transaction fees
Every online sale comes with a cost. Fees differ depending on whether you use Shopify Payments or a third-party processor. When you're a high-volume store, choosing the wrong setup can have a significant impact on margins.
3. Apps & integrations
This is one of the most overlooked parts of TCO. Store owners often rely on apps for subscriptions, loyalty, upsells, size recommendations, analytics, merchandising, and more - but those often come with a price.
A store with 8–12 paid apps is perfectly normal, yet a meaningful cost driver.
4. Theme, branding & design
Free themes exist, but ambitious brands rarely use them without customization. UX upgrades, visual design, and branding work can dramatically improve performance and typically require specialist support.
5. Development & maintenance
The more custom your store, the more ongoing support it needs. Even with a stable setup, you’ll want a developer on standby for:
- Adding new features
- Fixing bugs
- Supporting campaigns
- Enhancing performance
- Expanding to new markets
For Shopify Plus merchants, continuous improvement is often a key part of growth.
Why TCO matters
Shopify’s pricing is straightforward compared to many enterprise platforms — but the full financial picture emerges only when you combine:
- The cost of building your store
- The cost of running your store
- The cost of maintaining and growing your store
Together, these make up your Total Cost of Ownership. TCO determines whether Shopify aligns with your margins, your operational model, and your long-term goals.
At dear digital, we calculate TCO upfront so you’re not surprised months after launch. We help you choose the right plan, map the integrations you actually need, and avoid unnecessary costs. All while keeping your store scalable!
What's the next step?
If you’re trying to estimate the real budget for your Shopify implementation, from launch to long-term operations, our team can help you calculate it accurately.
You can also download our Shopify Pricing & TCO Spreadsheet, built to help you model the cost of your store based on your actual data. It’s the easiest way to get clarity before you start building, reassess certain costs and decisions, or see if you should up/downgrade your plan. Grab it now!
